


Archie The Wanderer

by whydontyouallf_fadeaway



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 15:57:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19154260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whydontyouallf_fadeaway/pseuds/whydontyouallf_fadeaway
Summary: Shore Leave for Archie meant taking some calming time to himself up on the cliffs.





	Archie The Wanderer

Archie always felt himself straying towards the sea, even when he was away from it, it kept drawing him back.

The Indefatigable docked for a few hours in order to receive some food for the kitchens and a short respite for the crew. Archie knew he could go anywhere he wanted; to the market, to the theatre or even found himself somewhere to sleep for a few hours. He watched as the crew disembarked giving Horatio a little nod before he walked down the dockside. Men crowded round as they marched in groups to their assigned tasks; unloading cargo ships, loading up others and giving assistance to those coming in and out to port and Archie kept having to duck out of their way and he gripped his book to help him feel safer within the crowds.

Smelling the air, he couldn't ignore the smokey scent from other ships nearby and the chimneys over the houses but he loved watching the people as he walked himself up to the cliffs that looked over the bustling environment. He grabbed hold of the grass as he climbed up the cliffside, his shoes providing a lot less grip than he thought they would but he soon managed to pull himself up to the flat surface of the clifftop. He walked alongside the edge waiting for the spot that he felt was perfect to sit as the wind blew though his strawberry blonde hair, his curls falling out of the bow keeping his long hair together at the back.

Eventually, he found a place he felt at home; away from the crowds, the noise and all that was in front of him was a vast ocean ebbing back and forth calmly in the breeze. He sat on the grass, legs straight out in front of him so he could place his book in his lap and opened the first page to begin reading. Concentration on his book was difficult as he kept finding himself drawn back to the sea in front of him and he closed his eyes, focusing his mind on the sound the ocean would be making. Archie loved being out at sea and all he could imagine was being back out on it, with the people he trusted and doing what he loved but he always loved the time he got to relax and take some time for himself.

He kept trying to focus his attention back to his book, but he couldn't and he soon put it to his side and just continued to watch the sea in front of him, a few ships going out, a few others in the distance and some docked in his sights. 

"Archie..." Horatio said from behind and Archie jumped a little from the sudden interruption from his trance like feeling, "Sorry." he continued before walking a little closer and joining Archie.

Horatio could sense his friend wasn't feeling himself, the quietness was something he saw a lot in Archie, but only when he was upset or something was bothering him. There was a silence between them and Horatio knew that it was best to let Archie speak when he was ready instead of forcing anything from him. Soon they heard gunshots in the distance from and that prompted Archie to speak, "We should be out there, Horatio." he noted, a slight quiver in his voice.

"Soon." his friend responded, "Not long now and we'll be back on the high seas."

Archie lowered his head, licking his lips as he fiddled with the cover of his book to his side. The gunshots unnerved him, making him up slightly though he should be expecting them. Somehow to him, being in the thick of fighting seemed less scary than watching it unfold from a distance and it made him want to be back on the Indy, ready to fight but he knew they had to wait a little longer. He stood up, pulling at his jacket to re-straighten it and brushing the loose grass from his bottom and Horatio did the same before they walked back the way Archie arrived.

There was little spoken from Archie and Horatio stopped in his tracks, "Are you alright?" he asked his friend who too had stopped and looked back to him.

He smiled with a small grin, "I'm f-fine, H-Horatio." he stuttered but there was a sense of unease in his words, like something was bothering him but he didn't want to say. Horatio left it at that and didn't push it any further, not wanting to bring back hiss seizures through stress or anything of the kind. He nodded to his best friend and began walking again, pacing themselves so they ended up side by side with each other and they spoke about their own lives before becoming sailors. Nobody had asked Archie where he came from or of his background so having a friend like Horatio who did gave him a new lease of life by being able to speak about the family he loved and missed so dearly while they waiteed to re-board the Indefatigable once more.


End file.
